Golf game kit and method of using same

ABSTRACT

A kit for playing a golf-related game can include a plurality of golf clubs, balls and cones. The kit can be used to play a modified golf game that utilizes some of the fundamental aspects of traditional golf, but does not require a traditional golf course. The cones in the kit can be positioned at desired locations on the ground at desired distances from each other. Each player can position a ball at a selected starting point, and takes a shot by swinging at the ball in an attempt to hit the first cone with the ball. Each player continues taking shots until he successfully contacts the cone with his ball. The number of strokes each player has taken to contact all of the cones is totaled, and the player with the lowest number of strokes is declared the winner.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/045,284, filed Sep. 3, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to recreational games, and in particular a modified golf game. One embodiment of the invention comprises a kit having a plurality of golf clubs, balls and cones, and instructions for playing a unique golf related game.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Golf is an extremely popular recreational activity around the world. Golf is generally played on golf courses that typically occupy about one hundred to two hundred acres. Often a golfer does not have the time to travel to and play on a traditional golf course. Also, a substantial fee is typically charged to play on a golf course, and this cost can present another barrier to playing traditional golf for many. Furthermore, golf is a relatively difficult game that requires players to hit a small ball into small hole in the ground that can be hundreds of yards away. As such conventional golf can require a great deal of practice to play proficiently. This difficulty can be discouraging to casual players who do not have the time or desire to dedicate substantial amounts of time practicing.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a game that utilizes some of the fundamental aspects of the game of golf, but does not require a traditional golf course. Another object of the invention is to provide a golf related game that can be played at a wide variety of indoor and outdoor locations. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an easily transportable kit having the components for playing a modified golf game. These and other objects of the invention can be achieved in embodiments of the invention described below.

One embodiment of the invention comprises a kit for playing a game comprising at least one golf club, at least one ball, and at least one cone.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the kit includes a container for containing the golf club(s), ball(s), and cone(s).

According to another embodiment of the invention, the container can be a bag or a box.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the kit includes three golf clubs, six balls, and four cones.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the golf club can be a sand wedge, gap wedge, pitching wedge, and/or putter.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the ball has a shape and size of a golf ball.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the ball is made of foam and/or plastic.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the ball is a conventional golf ball.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the cone comprises a substantially rectangular base, and a body extending upwardly from the base. The body has a substantially conical or substantially frusto-conical shape.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the kit can include printed instructions for using the kit to play a modified golf game that utilizes some of the fundamental aspects of the game of golf, but does not require a traditional golf course. The printed instructions can instruct a user to position the cone on a ground surface, position the ball on the ground surface at a predetermined distance from the cone, and hit the ball with the golf club in an attempt to contact the cone with the ball.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a kit for playing a golf-related game comprises first and second golf clubs, first and second balls, and first and second cones.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the first ball has an outer surface having a first color, and the second ball has an outer surface having a second color that is different from the first color. For example, the first ball can be blue and the second ball can be yellow.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the balls and the cones are fluorescent or glow in the dark.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the kit includes printed instructions for using the kit to play a game. The printed instructions can comprise positioning the first and second cones at spaced apart positions on a ground surface, a first player attempting to contact the first cone with the first ball by striking the first ball with the first club from a position located behind the second cone, and a second player attempting to contact the first cone with the second ball by striking the second ball with the second club from a position located behind the second cone.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the kit includes a third golf club, a third ball, third and fourth cones, and printed instructions for using the kit to play a game. The printed instructions can comprise positioning the first, second, third and fourth cones at spaced apart positions on a ground surface, and assigning a par value to each of the cones. Each player attempts to contact each of the cones with one of the balls by striking a with one of the golf clubs, and the winner of the game is the player who contacts all of the cones with the fewest number of strokes.

A method of playing a game according to another embodiment of the invention comprises providing at least one golf club, at least one ball, and a plurality of cones, and positioning the plurality of cones at spaced apart positions on a ground surface. Each player attempts to contact each of the plurality of cones with a ball by striking the ball with a golf club, and the objective of the game is to take the fewest number of strokes to contact each of the cones.

According to another embodiment of the invention, there are four cones. Each player begins by swinging for the first cone from a position behind the fourth cone. After contacting the first cone, each player swings for the second cone from a position behind the first cone. After contacting the second cone, each player swings for the third cone from a position behind the second cone. After contacting the third cone, each player swings for the fourth cone from a position behind the third cone.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a par value can be assigned to each cone.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the cones can be positioned at desired locations on the ground at desired distance(s) from each other. A particular par value can be assigned to each cone, similar to how particular par values are assigned to particular holes on a traditional golf course. Each player positions a ball at a selected starting point, and selects one of the golf clubs to use to for his opening shot. Each player takes a shot by swinging at his ball in an attempt to hit the first cone with the ball. Each player continues taking shots until he successfully contacts the cone with his ball. The number of strokes each player has taken to contact all of the cones is totaled, and the player with the lowest number of strokes is the winner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf game kit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the golf game kit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the golf game kit of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is another partial perspective view of the kit of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a score card that can be included in the kit of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a method of using the golf game kit of FIGS. 1 and 2 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION AND BEST MODE

A kit for playing a golf-related game according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, and shown generally at reference numeral 10. The game can be referred to as “CONEGOLF”, and the kit 10 can be referred to as a “CONEGOLF kit”.

The kit 10 comprises a plurality of golf clubs, balls and cones contained in a container, such as a bag, box, or other suitable packaging. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the kit 10 can be comprised of three golf clubs 11, 12, 13, four cones 21, 22, 23, 24, and six balls 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, contained within a bag 40.

Preferably, the golf clubs 11, 12, 13 are sand wedges, as shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively, the clubs 11, 12, 13, can be any other types of golf clubs, such as gap wedges, pitching wedges or putters. Also, the number of clubs included in the kit 10 can vary. The clubs 11, 12, 13 can be conventional golf clubs, comprised of steel shafts and zinc heads. Alternatively, the golf clubs 11, 12, 13 can have “soft” heads made of a plastic and cloth material, or other relatively soft material such as foam. In yet another alternative embodiment, the heads of the golf clubs 11, 12, 13 can be made of a conventional hard material such as metal, and the kit 10 can include soft club head sleeves made of a plastic/cloth material. The soft sleeves can be positioned over the golf club heads. By utilizing putters, soft club heads and/or soft club head sleeves, the clubs 11, 12, 13 can be used on concrete or other hard surfaces.

The cones 21-24, shown in FIG. 4, can be made of plastic, or other suitable material. Each cone 21-24 can be comprised of a substantially flat, rectangular base and a substantially conical or frusto-conical body extending upwardly from the base, such as conventional “traffic cones.” Alternatively, the body of the cones 21-24 can be other shapes, such as cylindrical or rectangular.

Preferably, the cones 21-24 are a bright color, such as orange. Alternatively, the cones 21-24 can be made of a fluorescent or glow in the dark material. In yet another alternative embodiment, fluorescent or glow in the dark tape can be wrapped around the cones 21-24. While the kit 10 is shown having four cones 21-24, the number of cones can vary. The cones 21, 22, 23, 24 can vary in size without limitation. Preferably, each cone 21, 22, 23, 24 is approximately one foot in height.

The balls 31-36 can be made of foam in the shape and size of a golf ball. Alternatively, the balls 31-36 can be conventional golf balls or plastic wiffle balls. Preferably, the balls 31-36 are various colors to differentiate balls belonging to different players. As shown in FIG. 4, the balls 31-36 can be divided into three pairs that are three different colors. For example, the first pair of balls 31, 32 can be blue, the second pair of balls 33, 34 can be yellow, and the third pair 35, 36 can be green. Alternatively, the balls 31-36 can be fluorescent or glow in the dark. As noted above, the cones 21-24 can also be fluorescent. While the kit 10 is shown having four cones 21-24, the number of cones can vary.

The bag 40 can be made of nylon, plastic or other suitable material. Alternatively, the clubs 11-13, cones 21-24 and balls 31-36 can be housed in another container, such as a box.

In a method of using the kit 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clubs 11-13, cones 21-24 and balls 31-36 are removed from the bag 40. A CONEGOLF course can be created by placing the cones 21-24 at various desired locations on the ground 45. A number of one through four can be assigned to each of the cones 21-24 in the order that they are positioned on the CONEGOLF course. A par value can be determined for each cone 21-24. The game can begin behind the fourth cone.

Preferably, there are three players 41, 42, 43. Each player selects one of the clubs 11-13, and two of the balls 31-36 that are of the same color. Each player 41, 42, 43 begins the game by placing his ball on the ground behind cone four. A player begins by striking his ball with his club in an attempt to hit the first cone 21 (cone one) with his ball, as shown in FIG. 6. The object of the game is to take the least number of strokes possible to hit the cones 21-24. If a ball contacts any part of a cone, including the base of the cone, it can be considered a hit.

After all players have successfully hit the first cone, the first of four rounds is completed. Play continues likewise to the second cone, and then the third cone, and the fourth cone. After each round is completed, each player tallies the number of strokes he took to hit the cone in that particular round. The game is completed when all players have hit all four cones. When the game is completed, each player tallies the total the number of strokes he took to hit all four cones. The player with the lowest total score at the end of the game is the winner.

Each round's first shot begins behind the last cone played, except for the first round of the game which begins behind cone four. Players can proceed to the next cone once all players have finished the current cone. The player with the lowest score can shoot first in each round, and the player with the ball closest the cone can shoot last. If a ball lands in an unplayable location, a player can take a “drop” in the closest playable area, and lose a stroke on the current cone's score. If the game ends in a tie, the tied players can choose a cone and continue playing until the tie is broken. Players can play a “Front Four” and “Back Four” by completing the designated course then playing the course again in reverse.

Scoring can be based on the predetermined par for each cone. For example, on a cone having a Par Five, scoring can be as follows:

1 Stroke=−4 (CONE-IN-ONE aka CONER)

2 Strokes=−3 (Ace)

3 Strokes=−2 (Eagle)

4 Strokes=−1 (Tweeter)

5 Strokes=0 (Par)

6 Strokes=+1 (Boogie)

7 Strokes=+2 (Double Boogie)

8 Strokes=+3 (Triple . . . Went For The Cone, Got The Bone!!)

Generally, it is substantially easier for players to strike the cones 21-24 with the balls 31-36 of the kit 10 than it is to land a golf ball in a typical golf hole playing conventional golf. As such, the CONEGOLF kit 10 provides a welcome alternative for individuals having a casual interest in golf, but desire a fun and relaxing activity that does not require the effort and practice typically needed in traditional golf.

As noted above, in one embodiment of the invention, the cones 21-24 and the balls 31-36 can be fluorescent or glow in the dark. As such, the CONEGOLF game can be played in the dark.

The kit 10 can include towels for cleaning the clubs 11-12. The towels can be contained in the bag 40.

The kit 10 can include a scorecard for recording players' scores. FIG. 5 illustrates a sample of a CONEGOLF scorecard 50.

The kit 10 can include written instructions explaining how to play the CONEGOLF game described above. The instructions can be contained in the bag 40, along with the clubs 11-12, cones 21-24 and balls 31-36.

It should be noted that the kit 10 is not limited to use in the above described method, can be used in other games, and there can be variations of the CONEGOLF game. For example, another method of using the kit 10 according to a preferred embodiment can be called CONEGOLF 21. In this method, a CONEGOLF course is created, and points can be awarded for hitting the cones, with maximum shot attempts allowed per round. To begin each round, players select which cone 21-24 they are shooting for prior to taking that round's shot. The game is over once a player has scored twenty-one total points or higher. An example of scoring for this game can be as follows:

-   -   Nearest Cone to Players—One point, one shot allowed per round         (must hit the cone on the first try).     -   Second Nearest Cone to Players—Two points, two shots allowed per         round.     -   Third Nearest Cone to Players—Three points, three shots allowed         per round.     -   Farthest Cone to Players—Four points, four shots allowed per         round.

A golf game kit and method of using same are described above. Various changes can be made to the invention without departing from its scope. The above description of the preferred embodiments and best mode of the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation—the invention being defined by the claims and equivalents thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A kit for playing a game comprising: (a) at least one golf club; (b) at least one ball; and (c) at least one cone.
 2. The kit according to claim 1, further comprising a container for containing the at least one golf club, the at least one ball, and the at least one cone.
 3. The kit according to claim 2, wherein the container comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a bag and a box.
 4. The kit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one golf club comprises at least one golf club selected from the group consisting of a sand wedge, gap wedge, pitching wedge, and putter.
 5. The kit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one ball has a shape and size of a golf ball.
 6. The kit according to claim 5, wherein the at least one ball is made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of foam and plastic.
 7. The kit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one ball comprises a golf ball.
 8. The kit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cone comprises a substantially rectangular base, and a body extending upwardly from the base, the body having a substantially conical or substantially frusto-conical shape.
 9. The kit according to claim 1, further comprising printed instructions for using the kit to play a game, wherein the printed instructions instruct a user to position the at least one cone on a ground surface, position the at least one ball on the ground surface at a predetermined distance from the at least one cone, and hit the at least one ball using the at least one golf club at the at least one cone.
 10. The kit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one golf club comprises three golf clubs, the at least one ball comprises six balls, and the at least one cone comprises four cones.
 11. A kit for playing a golf-related game comprising: (a) first and second golf clubs; (b) first and second balls; and (c) first and second cones.
 12. The kit according to claim 11, wherein each of the first and second golf clubs comprises at least one golf club selected from the group consisting of a sand wedge, gap wedge, pitching wedge, and putter.
 13. The kit according to claim 11, wherein each of the first and second balls has a shape and size of a golf ball.
 14. The kit according to claim 11, wherein the first ball has an outer surface having a first color, and the second ball has an outer surface having a second color different from the first color.
 15. The kit according to claim 11, wherein the first and second balls and the first and second cones are fluorescent or glow in the dark.
 16. The kit according to claim 11, further comprising printed instructions for using the kit to play a game, wherein the printed instructions comprise: (a) positioning the first and second cones at spaced apart positions on a ground surface; (b) a first player attempting to contact the first cone with the first ball by striking the first ball with the first club from a position located behind the second cone; and (c) a second player attempting to contact the first cone with the second ball by striking the second ball with the second club from a position located behind the second cone.
 17. The kit according to claim 11, further comprising a third golf club, a third ball, third and fourth cones, and printed instructions for using the kit to play a game, wherein the printed instructions comprise: (a) positioning the first, second, third and fourth cones at spaced apart positions on a ground surface; (b) assigning a par value to each of the first, second, third and fourth cones; (c) each player attempting to contact each of the first, second, third, and fourth cones with one of the first, second or third balls by striking one of the first, second or third balls with one of the first, second or third golf clubs; and (d) declaring a winner of the game based on a player having contacted all of the cones with the fewest number of strokes.
 18. A method of playing a game comprising: (a) providing at least one golf club, at least one ball, and a plurality of cones; (b) positioning the plurality of cones at spaced apart positions on a ground surface; and (c) attempting to contact each of the plurality of cones with the at least one ball by striking the at least one ball with the at least one golf club, wherein an objective of the game is to take the fewest number of strokes to contact each of the plurality of cones.
 19. The method of playing a game according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of cones comprises first, second, third and fourth cones, and the step of attempting to contact each of the plurality of cones with the at least one ball comprises: (a) attempting to contact the first cone by striking the at least one ball with the at least one golf club from a position behind the fourth cone; (b) attempting to contact the second cone by striking the at least one ball with the at least one golf club from a position behind the first cone; (c) attempting to contact the third cone by striking the at least one ball with the at least one golf club from a position behind the second cone; and (d) attempting to contact the fourth cone by striking the at least one ball with the at least one golf club from a position behind the third cone.
 20. The method of playing a game according to claim 18, further comprising assigning a par value to each of the plurality of cones. 